For the first time in my three years at Bryn Mawr I was able to spend Thanksgiving with my family. While Chicago isn’t so far away (only a three hour flight), I could never justify making such a short trip home. While I was always lucky to be able to go home with friends who lived a little closer, it still wasn’t quite the same. But, in a nice twist of faith, I was able to spend the holiday in rural Maine with my grandmother and parents. It’s quite a trek to get to Maine (hour-long flight to Boston + four hour drive to the Midcoast), but any time I’m able to spend with my 93-year-old grandmother is worth it to me.
fresh seafood for Thanksgiving
Boothbay Harbor. My grandmother was born and raised here. This is also where they filmed the Rogers and Hammerstein musical Carousel.
Ocean Point
my grandmother's homemade fish chowder
my grandmother's English doctoral thesis on Constance Fenimore Woolson. I'm always so inspired by her accomplishments-- especially considering the period she achieved them in!
no trip is complete with a lobster roll
I felt like I was inside an Eric Hopkin's painting while driving to the airport
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Hi–I have read your grandmother’s dissertation. It is a great work on Woolson. Please thank her for me for writing it and helping to keep Woolson’s name alive. I am a scholar writing a biography of Woolson and President of the Constance Fenimore Woolson Society. I hope that you have a chance to read some of Woolson’s works sometime. She was an amazing writer–as your grandmother knows.
Anne Boyd Rioux
Professor of English
University of New Orleans
That’s wonderful! Thank you for sharing. My grandmother doesn’t have access to the Internet (by choice), but I’ll definitely pass along your sentiments. I’m glad to hear her contributions to academia are still being resourced.
Hi Ivy–I have been reading your grandmother’s dissertation (which is really wonderful) and noticed many references to letters that she had received from Clare Benedict, who was Woolson’s niece. Would you mind asking your grandmother if she still has those letters? If she does, they would be important documents that could shed light on Woolson. You can e-mail me at aeboyd(AT)uno.edu. Thanks for any help you might be able to provide. And please tell your grandmother hello from me–and thanks!